


Spencer's Little Songbird

by NevermoretheRaven37



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-06-08 07:18:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6844624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NevermoretheRaven37/pseuds/NevermoretheRaven37
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the BAU start looking into a case of mass kidnapping in the Las Vegas area it sends Dr. Spencer Reid on the road to a discovery that he never expected.  There isn't much time to solve the case though, with the bodies of children showing up and the team is working against a very short clock when the police believe that Reid has something to do with the kidnappings.  With clues being left behind that seem to be taunting the young genius it is a case none of the team will ever forget.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal MInds. I figured you know that but.... Just in case. lol

Prologue

 

In the near darkness seven children shivered in the small room that they were forced to share as they listened to someone crying and screaming outside the room. A few of the smaller children could be seen with fearful looks on their faces even as they were curled on one of the beds together. Their eyes had settled on the three that had been there the longest like they had the answers to what was about to happen now in their very unstable lives. Finally, the youngest of the group crawled out of the bed and made his way to where the girl with light brown hair and almost honey colored eyes was sitting. “Ryn, what’s going to happen to Dallis?” The little black haired boy asked crawling into the girl now know now as Ryn’s lap and curled up for comfort.

The honey colored eyes looked down at the five year old, blue-eyed boy with a solemn look that for someone of Ryn’s age shouldn’t have been there. “I don’t know, Seb. I don’t know.” Her voice was soft as she lifted her head up to look at the other children that were still looking back at her with so much fear in their eyes. She knew as she looked back at them that they knew at the exact same moment when Dallis Sharp stopped screaming and crying at the adults downstairs. They all heard the seven year old red headed girl begging the adults to forgive her and they had known by her crying that she hadn’t convinced them. The group as a whole listened to the noises downstairs, but there was no other noise except for the opening and closing of the front door to the house.

For Ryn this was setting off alarm bells and she definitely didn’t like the way that thing seemed to be shaping up with the adults lately. To her and two other of the children, Kellen and Dusty this was alarming as the tempers of the couple they were with had become quite short. Punishments for things done wrong were quickly becoming more and more severe escalating until today where Dallis dropped a plate breaking it by accident. Ryn and Hope had tried to smooth things over, but things still had gotten out of hand quickly leading to the events of this moment they were caught up in. The chilling words of the woman and being forced to watch as the man placed Dallis’s hand over an open flame while she screamed was horrifying.

Now, even hours later the other children still couldn’t get it out of their heads despite things being so quiet because quiet didn’t mean anything good to them. Kellen let out a hiss so suddenly that it startled the others, “Everyone in bed now! She is coming! I know she is!” This set off a quick fury of motion as Dusty gathered Hope to her and into the bed that the girls’ shared while Kellen got the other two boys into their bed. Ryn stood up to put Sebastian in the boys’ bed when she froze hearing the sound of footsteps coming quickly up the stairs into the hallway. The eight year old made a quick decision and before the youngest could protest she sat back in the rocking chair and hissed something into the child’s ear.

Ryn had known that she wouldn’t be fast enough to get them both safely into bed to pretend to be asleep fast enough and so she was taking another route. Sebastian immediately pretended to be asleep in her arms as she rocked the chair and pretended to be asleep as well right before the door came open. The eight year old girl didn’t dare open her eyes as she heard the footsteps approach where her and Sebastian were hoping to fool the crazy woman. That is when she felt the lightest touch on her shoulder and the woman’s surprisingly soft voice calling her, “Ryn, you have to get to bed. I guess you fell asleep rocking Sebastian, huh?” The woman smiled at Ryn’s sleepy nod. “You’re a good girl, Tamryn. You always look after the others and have always obeyed us. I think will make it far in our perfect family.”

Ryn gave the woman what she hoped was a pleased smile and it seemed to work because the woman smiled back before motioning to Ryn to put Sebastian in bed. The young girl did so before getting into the bed with the other girls like she knew the woman wanted her to do which pleased the woman greatly. The woman looked them all over quickly like she was determining if they were truly asleep before leaving the room and locking the door from the outside. The footsteps disappeared back down the stairs and a couple of the younger children let out whimpers at the fact that the woman had been so close. Her being so close always made it hard for the children to fall asleep and now Ryn was going to do what she did every night to help the others fall asleep to be ready for the challenges of the next day.

Her voice came out soft and sweet.

_“You can drift away,_

_The moon is watching over you._

_You can sleep tonight,_

_The stars are twinkling bright._

_The sun will rise tomorrow,_

_Bringing a brand new day._

_Drift away, drift away,_

_Tired eyes close in sleep._

_Drift away, drift away,_

_Morning will be bright.”_

 

She continued to sing in her soft, beautiful voice until Miles, Liam, Hope, and Sebastian had fallen asleep to her song. It was a song that her mother use to sing to her when she couldn’t sleep and it seemed to work on the other children that were caught with her. Ryn eventually fell asleep as well the moment that she finished singing the song her head falling on the same pillow that Hope was using.

It was only when the other two was sure that Ryn was also asleep that they finally opened their own eyes to look at each other. Dusty, Kellen, and Tamryn had made a strong connection when they had been kidnapped by the couple and the two were worried about the younger girl a whole lot. “I don’t like the way they keep talking about Ryn.” Kellen remarked softly in the dark. “She is what keeps the others calm. I am afraid of them taking her away.”

Dusty nodded in agreement to the boys’ words. “Yeah, they seem so happy with her. I am afraid of what will happen if she slips up even once.” The ten year old female lowered her eyes looking defeated. “I wasn’t going to say anything to the little ones to scare them about Dallis.” She didn’t have to say what they were both thinking, that Dallis Sharp had been killed by the couple because of this morning’s so called rule breaking. Seven children were in the hands of a couple that would stop at nothing to get what they wanted.

 


	2. Unclear Reasons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the team gets the case and heads for Vegas after a body is found, the cops make another discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal MInds. I figured you know that but.... Just in case. lol

Chapter One:

Unclear Reasons

 

“Most families are blood related, but some families are made by the blood, sweat, and tears of watching each other’s backs.”

-Anonymous

 

For Spencer Reid it was a normal day at the job. There was no cases that had come into the BAU today and it was almost time to go home for the night. The resident genius had finished his own paperwork and even some of the others’ paperwork when he had become bored when it had not been close to time yet. Now, that ending time was upon them for the night both him and Morgan had the same idea of starting to get ready to leave for home. Neither of them got close to the doors though seeing JJ coming toward the group with the most serious look on her face confirming they had a case and a bad one at that. Spencer, Morgan, and Callahan followed JJ into the conference room to find that Hotch and Rossi were already there waiting on the rest of them to arrive.

They all choose seats around the table and the seriousness of the case was already making the room tense and quiet as they all looked to JJ. The blonde female nodded when she saw that she had all of their attention. “This morning at about 6 am a young girl’s body was found in a jogging park.” She took a breath before continuing what she was saying, “The young girl’s name was Dallis Sharp and she had been kidnapped almost a month ago. Only seven years old, she was reported missing by her parents on July 9th when she was playing in the backyard. The parents had been cooking dinner watching her from the window. They turned to set the table and she was gone.” JJ let the information she was already telling them to sink into their minds.

“She is one of seven children that had gone missing in the past several weeks. And with her showing up dead…” JJ didn’t finish her sentence as she looked around the table at the others.

“There is a high possibility that something stressed the unsub to start killing the victims. But are the cops sure that there is a connection between the children?” Spencer asked.

JJ nodded causing strands of blonde hair to frame her face. “Going over each case people reported a similar vehicle around the scene at the tiem of each kidnapping was actually from the home or right there on the property.”

Hotch looked around at his team. “All right, team. Be prepared. We leave in an hour.” The look on his face said he already knew where they were headed.

“Where is the case, Hotch?” Morgan asked looking curious.

Hotch and JJ both looked at Reid. “Las Vegas…”

* * *

It was less than an hour later when everyone had gathered into the jet with the seriousness of the case handing over their heads like it was. Now, that the group of them were in the jet the details of the case were going to come quickly and fast to the BAU as they flew through the US to Vegas. Penelope Garcia’s face came across the monitor of their computer screen with a solemn look before she finally started speaking to the team. “All right, my dears,” She tried for an uplifting tone, but found that she couldn’t keep it up. “The first child to be kidnapped was a ten year old girl named Dusty Lewis. She disappeared from the treehouse in her parents’ backyard when her mother went in to ger them both something to drink and came back to find her missing.’

Penelope continued speaking, ‘Next was nine years old Miles Hammond who was taken from his neighbor’s front yard while were watching him. She said she had gone to answer the phone and came back to find him gone. Third was twelve year old Kellen Gates who’s mother Kellen screaming from the entrance hall and came flying out of the house to see a teal van pulling away with Kellen’s bike still spinning in the driveway. Then came Dallis Sharp who was the fourth kidnapping victim and hopefully only murder victim in this,” The tech expert took a deep breath. “The fifth kidnapped victim is Sebastian Brooks. A five year old boy that was playing hide and go seek with his older brother who alerted their mother when he couldn’t find him. Nine year old Liam Webster was the sixth child to be kidnapped and was taken right from the front porch when his father went in for only a moment to get more tools to fix the front door.’

‘The most recent kidnap victim is Hope Myers. She is a six year old girl who was taken from her Grandmother’s house on the back deck. The grandmother had left to get a book for the two to share and the child was gone,” Penelope finished speaking about the victims hating talking about children this way. “Now, from what most neighbors and witnesses have said so far that the teal van has been seen around every kidnapping at about the times of the kidnappings.” There was a stressed look on Garcia’s face as she looked at the team who also had stressed looks on their faces as well. “That is all I can give you for now. The rest is in your files. Find those poor babies…” The usually perky tech said her good-byes and the monitor on her side went dark as she went to work on other parts of the case waiting for them to call her.

The team was quiet for a few moments as they all went through the files on the case and they all silently agreed that the kidnappings seemed to have been committed by one person more than likely. Reid of course had already finished reading his file and he was now taking the time to write down notes about his thoughts and ideas on the case. The others were still reading their files on the case of the kidnappings and the resident genius kept quiet as he waited to discuss things with them. It didn’t take long for the group to catch up and prepare to start their conversation on the case to start to build the structure of the profile of the kidnapper. Soon all of them were looking at Hotch as he shut his own file and looked at his team with a hard gaze.

“All right, do we agree with the police that the kidnapper is the same one in each kidnapping case?” Hotch asked wanting to hear the group’s opinions.

Reid’s head shot up and he opened his mouth to speak. “It is very well probable that the kidnapper is the same in each case as a lot of details match. The MO of taking the children right from their own yards where their families were sure that they were safe and the fact that one peculiar vehicle was at every scene.” He paused for a second to collect his thoughts staring at nothing as the team waited patiently. “While those two details make it look like the cases are connected there is still so many details missing that making the assumption could work against us. I mean there are more situations and statistics, like-” The way that Reid was starting up the others could tell that he was about to start on a long winded lecture of facts.

Before the young genius could really start JJ cut in with a question that had been plaguing everyone’s minds since seeing the children’s pictures. “Why doesn’t the kidnapper have a type? Usually kidnappers have types?”

“She is right.” Morgan jumped in. “The children are both genders, various ages, and all have very different looks… What is the unsub’s deal?”

Rossi definitely agreed as he gazed at the rest of the team and finally decided to add his two cents in. “Yes, those facts will make it harder to pin the unsub down especially when the children were kidnapped from various areas in Las Vegas.”

The group went silent thinking about the case that seemed to be hitting all of their heartstrings so easily for a team of FBI agents. Hotch nodded before looking at the team once again. “So we’ll hit the ground running and start re-interviewing witnesses to get more details from them and the cops.”

“The cops are not going to like that, Hotch,” Rossi pointed out to the leader with a frown though he knew why Aaron was giving the order.

“I know, but there is still so much to figure out before we can give a proper profile and it will save lives better,” Hotch replied with something close to a sigh knowing how difficult this case will be. “We’ll end up doing extra work on this one, but if they are all connected there could very well be more kidnap victims out there that could give us more of a pattern.”

Spencer gave a slight smile as he tapped his pen against his files. “The good thing is we have the start of a pattern to build on. The person or people are pretty brazen to take children from their homes in broad daylight. It shows they are confident to be able to take the child away quickly.”

“Just like with that teal van some of the witnesses claim to have seen. If we can trace the van somehow…” Kate Callahan breathed out with wide eyes. “To use the same vehicle over and over. They must not think they will get caught or don’t realize the van has been spotted at the scene.”

“Yes, if we can get more details about the can and plot the parts of Vegas that the children were taken from it should start to give us a cleared picture,” Spencer had started rambling to himself. This caused most of the team to grin as the young genius continued rambling softly while making more notes on his thoughts about the case even while they only caught various phrases. The group was so use to Spencer’s rambling by now that it had become something comforting to them especially on a case like this as they flew to Vegas.

* * *

While the BAU was flying into Las Vegas, one of the Las Vegas police departments had gotten a phone call about a child’s small body along the side of a back road. It didn’t take long for several detectives to get to the scence and confirm that they had the small body of a six year old Hope Myers. Unlike Dallis Sharp who had died from being stabbed to death and had third degree burns on her left hand Hope’s body looked broken. It saddened the cops to see the child that way as they watched her get loaded to be taken to the ME and they had to speak to the parents. The would get the report on her body and exactly how she died hopefully soon so they could have more pieces of the puzzle.

This case needed to be solved and fast before another innocent child ended up dead.

 


	3. One Turns into Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the BAU and local cops start working on the case a bit of the children's horrifying lives is seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal MInds. I figured you know that but.... Just in case. lol Read and Review! Let me know what you think. :)

Chapter Two:

 

One Turns into Two

 

The team got off the jet and took the rented SUV’s straight to the police station where most of the detectives working the cases had gathered. They had heard the news already about the cops finding Hope Myers’s body and it made them hurry their steps afraid of how many more bodies would show up. It didn’t take the group long to get to the police station and entered the building where they could see a group of detectives gathered together. The two lead detectives that had been chosen to head the group met the team and introduced themselves as Detective Bill Young and Detective Richie Rivera. The detectives led the BAU to the area where the rest of the group were discussing the cases of kidnapping and the two bodies of the children.

Each of the detectives from the different departments introduced themselves, but there was so many names that it wouldn’t be easy to remember them all. The group was polite as a whole and thanked the detectives for calling them before making introductions of their own to the gathered cops. “I am Special Agent Aaron Hotchner. This is Special Agent Jennifer Jareau, Special Agent Derek Morgan, Special Agent David Rossi, Dr. Spencer Reid, and Special Agent Kate Callahan.” Hotch had taken it upon himself to introduce the team as he always did and each one of them nodded to the detectives as their names were called. As usual there was a look of surprise hearing how Reid was introduced, but the team was completely unfazed by the looks as they settled in.

The cops recovered quickly and started to explain where and how the body of Hope Myers had been found as they handed the BAU their files. These files had more information on the various kidnapping cases that the different departments had brought together. The BAU took the time to read the files and of course Reid was done before the others and decided to wait patiently for the team. There wasn’t mush more information in the files that the BAU didn’t already know other than some time adjustments and details that the parents noticed later. Soon the others had closed their files and the discussion between the police detectives and the team started as they all tried to make sense of things.

The talk quickly turned to the autopsy of Dallis Sharp’s body and the horror of what happened to this small child in the hands of her kidnappers. There had been several bruises and marks that showed the young girl had more than likely been abused since she had kidnapped, most looked like they were healing. There was third degree burns on her left hand that the coroner believed happened only a few hours before her death because of it’s lack of treatment. He figured by the way the burns were that someone had held her hand over a gas stove as some sort of terrifying punishment. It wasn’t the worst thing though, as the child had been stabbed at least thirty times and that suggested some powerful rage.

“So, any ideas, agents?” Detective Rivera asked curiously hoping these agents could shed some light on what was going on here. The other cops were also looking at the FBI agents for guidance which was something that the team wasn’t quite use to. Most cops really didn’t like the FBI stepping into what the police considered their turf and that is why the BAU always treated the police politely and kindly. So to have cops that were treating them special was actually quite a shock for the team, a refreshing surprise.

Hotch nodded and stepped back looking at his team to see which one of them was going to start speaking up first to the detectives. Without missing a beat David Rossi opened his mouth and started speaking to the cops, “The fact that the unsub stabbed the child so many times speaks of a lot of rage.” He sighed softly, “It seems that the unsub is hiding a lot of anger and rage. And whatever reason for kidnapping the children they might be taking the brunt of the anger.”

There was a couple of gasps from some of the more quiet of the detectives like they couldn’t understand how someone could be so cruel to children. Realizing what the detectives were thinking Morgan then spoke up, “It’s not a pretty thing to think about, but many of you have seen this unsub’s handiwork first hand.”

Spencer Reid poked his head up from where he had been looking at his file again, even though he remembered everything in it, it was a safety net. “From what the medical reports says, Dallis Sharp’s bruises and injuries from earlier in her kidnapping could have very well been treated by someone. That is why they healed so well.” He glanced up at the rest of them, “I have a theory about that. Just a theory… What if there is two unsubs? One that tends to be more violent and the other more meek and healing…”

This made the rest of the team’s heads pop up at the fact that their young genius could have very well hit on something quite solid. The whole idea that Spencer just had very well could have some merit to it and the team thought very well that this could be the case. “That could make sense with one being the aggressor and the other being more following and meek.” Morgan continued seriously. “It also would make since as it would be easier to take the children.”

“One that could easily gain the child’s confidence and the other to help get the child into the van,” JJ finished the thoughts that Spencer had started.

Hotch nodded in agreement seeing that the cops saw that it could be a possibility. “It is a good theory to keep in mind as we are pulling more facts together.”

Lead Detective Young turned around as a female rookie cop approached the group with a serious expression across her face. “Mr. and Mrs. Lewis and Mr. and Mrs. Hammond are here, sir.” She addressed to Detective Young.

The detective thanked her and then dismissed her before turning to look at Hotch. “I figured we might re-interview the families. We might find something to break the case open.”

Aaron gave a grim smile and nodded at the one lead detective. “That was something we were going to ask you about… If you would let us interview the families.”

“I don’t see why not,” Detective Rivera spoke after looking at Detective Young and having a silent conversation with the other police officer.

It didn’t take long for the detectives to get the two couples into two different interview rooms for the BAU to question them hopefully to get more information. Hotch sent JJ and Rossi into the rooms with the Lewis’s and the Hammond’s to talk to them and get as much as they could get from the couples. While they were doing that Reid was plotting the points of abduction and dump sites of the two bodies on a map that the police had given him in a room now set up for them. Hotch and Callahan were discussing the case and looking over the files and notes while Morgan was talking on the phone with Garcia to see if she had anything. There was several detectives milling about the room trying to help the team with setting up and gather the information they all needed.

Eventually Rossi and JJ came back from interviewing the couples and entered the room to where the whole room turned to look at them. Rossi let out a soft chuckle at all the eyes that were on them, “With talking to the parents of Dusty Lewis I found out that nothing out of the ordinary happened the day of the kidnapping. But they did mention that the day before the kidnapping there was a couple that were walking on the sidewalk in front of their home and stopped to talk to her and her daughter. Mrs. Lewis now remembered that the couple seemed way too interested in Dusty who despite being ten had hid behind her as they talked together.” Rossi took a breath as he saw the shocked looks on most of the gathered people’s faces. “She said she didn’t think nothing of it at the time, but the couple said they were moving in down the street. Mrs. Lewis said there were no houses in the neighborhood for sale.”

This set off a flurry of chatter from the cops until Detectives Young and Rivera got them calmed down so that JJ could give her report as well. The blonde haired agent turned to look at her team and then the gathered officers before opening her mouth to speak, “There wasn’t much much that the Hammond’s could give me. But it is funny that the Lewis’s mentioned a couple from the day before because there was a man and woman that stopped at the Hammond’s place the day before asking for directions.”

Now there was a dead silence in the room as the information processed in everyone’s minds. “We need to get the rest of the other families in here quick and find out if there was contact with a man and woman before each kidnapping.” Detective Young barked.

Hotch was in agreement. “We are going to need a sketch artist too. We can put faces with the couple. Looks like Reid’s theory could very well be right.”

While the BAU and the cops were working with the new information they gathered the six children that were left with the kidnappers were doing chores. That was part of their daily routine to keep their kidnappers happy and they did chores from the moment they got up to the moment they ate dinner. The group only got that one meal a day most of the time if they completed their chores on time and were lucky enough. Once in a great while the children would get a small breakfast before they started and today turned out to be one of those mornings. It would make what was about to happen even worse as Ryn recalled while scrubbing the dinner dishes to be put away by Dusty when they were dry.

_The group had gotten up with the alarm in their ears and not to anger the couple the seven children dressed quickly to make their way downstairs. They were shocked when they made their way into the kitchen to find the woman was making breakfast and there was plates at the table for them. It was even more unusual when the woman waved the group to sit down and they took their seats before she could change her mind. They knew to wait patiently for her to serve breakfast and ate quietly hoping to not catch the eye of the man who could have a quick temper. After they finished eating the children started their chores in quick order in different parts of the house under the watchful eyes of the couple._

_That is when the unthinkable happened as Hope had been sweeping the stairs and slipped falling down the flight of stairs to the bottom. All the children had heard the fall, but the only one close enough to see what happened next was Ryn as she peeked out of the kitchen. Hope looked horrible laying at the bottom of the stairs and Ryn flinched seeing limbs and such pointing in odd directions. Ryn heard Hop crying and went to go to her when the man approached Hope laughing at the small girl as he stared down at her. “Well, well, it looks like that you wouldn’t be joining our perfect little family. We don’t need an accident prone child.” He snickered picking up the broken child._

_Ryn watched as the man carried Hope out of the house whimpering and crying knowing that she would never see the other girl again. It made her wonder who would be the next victim in this couple’s insistence for the perfect family._

 


	4. To Unravel Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some of the past starts to unravel and things start to look darker for the kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal MInds. I figured you know that but.... Just in case. lol Read and Review! Let me know what you think. :)

Chapter Three:

To Unravel Things

 

It was just a little after ten o’clock at night when the BAU had finished interviewing all the other families at the kidnapped children and could go back to the hotel. It turned out that Reid’s theory was quite correct that almost every family had met a man and woman the day before the kidnapping. And from the descriptions the families gave it sounded like the same couple so it seemed like they could have their unsubs if they could put names to them. The sketch artist wasn’t due until tomorrow where they would sit down with the families and start making a sketch of the couple for the police. Because of this the group of FBI agents were forced to try and get some sleep and just hope that there wouldn’t be another body found in the morning.

Everything was actually quiet through the night and when the BAU arrived at the police station the next morning the sketch artist was already there talking to one of the families. The sketch artist was a small pretty blonde haired woman with brilliant eyes that changed colors depending on her mood thought the team didn’t know all of that as of yet. The team went out their own work, while talking to the detectives and having phone conversations with Garcia who had been checking Las Vegas for similar kidnappings. Nothing had popped up on the tech’s radar, but if anyone could find a connection between more kidnappings it would be this perky tech analyst. Most of the morning went by this way with the team and the detectives going through leads and the sketch artist working on the sketches with the help of the families.

It wasn’t until late morning or early afternoon that the sketch artist had finally finished with the two sketches of the man and woman after working on some finishing touches. The blonde haired woman after she was done with her sketches walking over to the room that the detectives and BAU team were using and knocked on the door to be let in. Detective Rivera let her in and with a grin introduced her, “This is Lindy Kart. She is our forensic tech and sketch artist.” He informed the BAU quickly. There was pleasantries exchanged between her and the BAU team and the team all had thoughts about how sweet the blonde seemed to be. She gave the team a once over like she was sizing them up in a way before smiling and ducking her head shyly after looking after Morgan and Reid.

Morgan gave a grin and elbowed Spencer in the side after the female ducked her head making Reid roll his eyes at the older FBI agent in return. This was not the first time that a woman seemed to find them both attractive, but unlike the clubs that it happened to them before this woman pushed on professionally. “Between the several families and them giving me similar descriptions on the suspects this is what the man and woman doing the kidnappings and killings look like.” She handed the sketches over to Detective Rivera and Hotchner who were standing side by side before stepping off to the side letting the two men look at the pictures. The tech went to open her mouth and speak when there was a loud knock at the door and the group turned as a whole to see a rookie cop standing there.

Detective Young after a nod from Hotch let the young rookie cop into the room who looked extremely nervous at being in the same room as all the detectives and BAU team. “Sirs, there are detectives from Boulder City saying that they might have something related to the kidnappings that you need to know.” The rookie stammered out. The BAU looked at each other wondering just what the Boulder City police department could have that they needed knew they were about to find out. Hotch and Rivera spoke quietly to the rookie cop and then dismissed him before making sure the room was quiet before picking up the phone in the room. Rivera put the phone on speaker as him and Hotch prepared to speak for the group of law enforcement.

“Detective Steele, this is Special Agent Aaron Hotchner of the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI and Detective Richie Rivera of the Las Vegas police. You have some information for us?”

_Earlier that morning in the Boulder City Police Department outside of the Las Vegas Detective Raymond Steele was looking at a case file that was sitting his desk. There a deep frown on his face and what looked like a haunted look in the detective’s eyes as he stared at the picture at the front of the file. It was a picture of a dark haired woman with her arm around a small, light brown haired girl with honey brown eyes and a bright smile. Detective Steele sighed and flipped the papers away from the photo and started looking at some of the other information from the case. “Oh, Rosalie…” He spoke softly. “What happened to you? What happened to your little girl? Why didn’t you let me help you and Tamryn? I wanted to protect you.”_

_The detective went silent as he read through parts of the file trying to make sense of the things him and the other homicide detectives were working on. There was a knock on the door of his office and Steele looked up seeing one of the other detectives standing there waiting to be let inside. Steele motioned for the other male to come into the office and gave him a weary smile before opening his mouth to speak. “Detective Marks?” He could tell that the other detective seemed a little off and a little upset which was sending up an alarm bells in Steele’s mind._

_“Sir, I don’t think Tamryn Collins kidnapping is an isolated incident,” Marks finally spoke. “There is several kidnappings that had happened recently in Las Vegas.” This had Steele’s attention and Marks could see that, “That same can seen in their driveway the morning of Rosalie’s murder and Tamryn’s kidnapping had been seem in their kidnappings as well.” There was a silence that filled the room and the two detectives were honestly thinking the same thing about the Collins’s family._

_“You certainly could be right. Rosalie and Tamryn were originally from Las Vegas,” Steele admitted to the younger detective as he leaned back in his chair. The younger detective didn’t look surprised at this and just waited for Steele to continue with what he was saying about the two females. “Even though I knew something had chased her out of Vegas I couldn’t get her to open up and trust me,” Steele remarked. “No matter what I said. And you know the rest,” Detective Steele rested his head on his desk looking defeated and thoroughly disgusted at the moment with everything._

_Marks nodded with a grim look toward the other detective. “I know the rest all right,” He muttered, “They were using a fake surname and we can’t find their actual name. Which makes me wonder just what Rosalie and her daughter were running from in Vegas…” He paused looking back at Steele. “Not to mention the fact that you wanted to date her.” The younger detective turned a slight glare to the older male, “You shouldn’t even be on this case with the conflict of interest.” He voiced probably for the hundredth time._

_“I owe it to find Rosalie’s daughter whether she is dead or alive. I feel like I owe that much to Rosalie,” Detective Steele answered finally lifting his head from his desk. “What would you have me to do, Marks?! Huh?! I tried so hard and I feel so guilty. I should’ve pressed her harder for answers.” The silence reigned in the small office._

“Wow… The FBI…” Detective Joshua Steele’s voice sounded surprised as it came through the speaker. There was a pause as the Boulder City detective collected himself. “Yes, Agent Hotchner. We have a kidnapping and murder here that could be related to your case…”

* * *

_“Hush, little baby, don’t say a word,_

_Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird._

 

_And if that mockingbird don’t sing,_

_Momma’s gonna buy you a diamond ring._

 

_And if that diamond ring turns brass,_

_Momma’s gonna buy you a looking glass._

 

_And if that looking glass gets broke,_

_Momma’s gonna buy you a billy goat._

 

_And if that billy goat won’t pull._

_Momma’s gonna buy you a cart and bull._

 

_And if that cart and bull turn over,_

_Momma’s gonna buy you a dog named Rover._

 

_And if that dog named Rover won’t bark,_

_Momma’s gonna buy you a horse and cart._

 

_And if that horse and cart fall down,_

_You’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town.”_

 

Ryn was singing again, but this was the first time she had to try and calm the other children during the day instead of it being late at night. Liam and Miles were curled up on the boys’ bed together crying, Kellen was holding Dusty as she cried, and Tamryn was rocking a shocked Sebastian as she sang. After what happened around noon Ryn didn’t think there would be much hope for any of them to survive the couple they were being forced to live with. The day had been normal to begin with as the children did the chores assigned to them and tried to stay out of the couple’s way as much as possible. They hadn’t had breakfast that morning for it seemed that Hope’s death had not made the woman happy and she punishing them all.

The trouble had started right around when the twelve o’clock news came across the television while the children had been finishing their first round of tasks. Dusty and Ryn had been wiping down all the mirrors in the upstairs while Liam and Miles were carefully bringing in wood piles for the actual fireplace that was in the kitchen. Kellen had Sebastian helping him pack away meat into the freezer as the little boy handed him the freezer bags of meat for him to put away. From everywhere in the house the children could hear the television turn on and immediately know what time it was as the man always watched the news at twelve o’clock. Then after that the woman would always make the man lunch while the children would continue to finish the chores, but today things were not going to go that way.

Things started happening so fast after that some of it started to blur together as the man started hollering, “Nakota! Nakota!” And his wife came running. The children knew immediately that something was wrong with the way that the man had been yelling for his wife and the girls hid behind the banister of the stairs. Kellen had all three younger boys hide as well while he poked his head out of the kitchen enough to see the television from where he was standing. The twelve year old couldn’t believe what he was seeing as their faces flashed across the screen as kidnapped victims and confirmed that Dallis and Hope were dead. He didn’t understand why Tamryn’s face wasn’t among their faces as she had been here before them all, but what he then heard blew away all other thoughts.

His eyes met Dusty’s and both realized that there was hope of them being found as the FBI had been called in to help the Las Vegas police in their case. If they could hold on long enough the combination of the two forces should be able to save them, because for the FBI to be called in… The television flipped off and the man was cursing up a storm, “I can’t believe they called in the FBI! If he is among them this could end very badly for us, Nakota. Very badly.” The man stood up and the kids disappeared from where they had been watching the couple, “Children, get in here, now!” He screamed out. With the way he screamed the six children immediately appeared knowing by the tone of his voice that something nad was about to happen to them.

The man paced in front of the group for several minutes before he finally stopped with a dark sneer on his face, “You children are done your chores for the day and there will be no dinner. Now, go to your room.” There was a pause then a whimper from Liam and the man snatched the sandy haired boy up to shove him against the wall while picking up a lethal looking piece of leather. The man unraveled it and quickly struck the boy’s unprepared back making the child scream as it ripped into the shirt and caused a bloody mark. It was a whip!

It stunned the other children, but suddenly they all screamed. “Stop!” loudly and Kellen darted forward to try and pull Liam out of the line of fire. The man had hit Liam several more times before Kellen had pulled away and shoved the smaller boy toward the girls in a protective gesture while watching the man.

“You want to take his punishment!” The man snarled harshly and grabbed Kellen throwing him into the same position that Liam had been in just moments before. This time the children were helpless to help him as Dusty had her arms full with Liam and a scared Sebastian and Nakota had blocked Ryn and Miles from helping. The group felt so helpless as at first Kellen let out a couple of painful cries, but then a look of resolve fell across his face and not another sound past his lips. It felt like an eternity before the man stopped and shoved the whipped Kellen at the other children. “Upstairs, now…” He hissed with intense eyes.

This led to now where the girls had treated the two boys’ injuries the best they could as the woman refused to help as part of the punishment and Ryn was singing to comfort everyone. The crying had turned into sniffles as she finished the lullaby and settled back into the rocking chair with Sebastian still curled with her knowing the others wouldn’t be able to do chores tomorrow. The others had finally started to drift off to sleep when the door to the bedroom slammed opened making Ryn jerk and grip Sebastian so he didn’t fall off her lap. She let out a small gasp seeing the man standing in the open door with a worse look then the look he had wearing earlier. He stumped over to her and dragged a tired Sebastian off her lap and when he cried out the man slapped him, shoving him toward the boys’ bed.

The commotion woke the others up and Kellen tried to get up, but he couldn’t move as the group watched the man drag Ryn out of the room. The last thing the children saw was the man pulling a shaking and crying Ryn around the corner and it made Kellen’s blood boil to think about what could happen to her. What would happen would change Tamryn for a long time to come as he pulled her into the bathroom where the bathtub was already full with water. The eight year old was clearly very confused as she looked back and forth between the bathtub and the man standing there beside her. Then he spoke and she knew that she was in trouble, “You have been comforting after they have been punished, haven’t you, Ryn?” The man didn’t wait for a reply.

“It is very sweet that you want to help them and singing, but when they are being punished that is a no-no,” He hissed. “So you will only sing when I want you to.” This had the eight year old terrified now, but she didn’t have time to protest as the man had already shoved her down toward the tub and her head went under the water. Ryn struggled at first, but soon that it would be better to concentrate on trying to hold her breath and pray that he wasn’t trying to drown her. She was at the point of almost blacking out when he pulled her out of the water letting her take a few gasping breaths before plunging her head under again. He did this at least a few more times before he let her collapse on to the floor of the bathroom shaking and crying in a little ball.

When Ryn finally looked up at him the man dragged her to her feet shoving Ryn against the wall. “Do we understand each other?” He growled. The child tried to nod, but it seemed it wasn’t enough for the man and he grabbed her by the throat making her gasp for air once again in his hold. “Do you understand me?” The man repeated tightening his hold around her throat and chuckled as Ryn nodded frantically. “Good, because we do want to keep you.” He dropped his hand from around her throat and with a dark sneer motioned for her to head out of the bathroom in front of him before following her out. “Remember,” The man hissed shoving her into the children’s room, “Behave yourself.” The door could be heard locking behind her and she darted into the girls’ bed crying.

All the other children tried to get Ryn to talk, but the combination of the almost drown and strangled had left her throat bruised. She wasn’t planning on talking anytime soon.

 


	5. Hiding in Plain Sight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little of Rosalie and Tamryn's story and something that shouldn't have been leaked comes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. I figured you know that but.... Just in case. lol Read and Review! Let me know what you think. :) Sorry this took so long to get up but I have been working between 50 to 60 hours the past month and finally got over my writer's block. I hope you like.

Chapter Four:

Hiding in Plain Sight

 

The BAU team and Detectives Young and Rivera were the last ones to be leaving the police station that evening when Lindy Kart came flying in with a stack of papers.  They all froze as they turned to look at her and see what she had from where they had been gathering their things together for the night.  "What is it, Lindy?" Detective Rivera asked looking at the small blonde as she skidded to a stop beside Rivera's desk with a pant.

 

After she laid the stack of papers on Detective Rivera's desk she replied with a tight smile. "Hope Myers's autopsy, sirs." She remarked politely to her superiors.  Rivera picked up the report and quickly scanned it before handing it over to Hotch to let him look it over as well while he turned back to Lindy.  "It looks like she either fell down a flight of stairs or was pushed and ended up with a right broken leg and a left broken hand."  The blonde female stopped for a moment. "There was bruising on her back from where she had fallen down the stairs and along her one side, but that is not what killed her.  She was stabbed to death like Dallis Sharp."  Seeing that she had everyone's attention Lindy took a deep breath to continue," The ME believes that the fall happened first and then was stabbed and dumped.

 

Silence met Lindy's words as the team processed the information about what had happened to the little girl and tried to fit it together like pieces of a puzzle.  Finally, Spencer spoke up and Lindy couldn't help, but blush. "If the fall was an accident with child being a kidnapped victim they couldn't take her to a hospital.  It would send up a red flag and they would get caught."  He bit his lip and his honey colored eyes looked troubled.  "In their logic, they would have to kill her."  Even if the others didn't want to agree with Spencer's words they really had no choice and Morgan didn't have the heart to tease him about LIndy's blushing.

 

Reid had caught Lindy's blush as well, but his mind was so into the case that there was no way that he was going to entertain other ideas with pretty blondes.  The BAU team and the detectives along with LIndy threw around ideas and theories for nearly another half an hour before the group decided to call it a night.  The BAU parted ways with the detectives at the door and headed to the hotel that JJ had booked them before they had left on the jet only days before.  Being paired off like they usually were in hotel rooms meant that while Hotch and Rossi shared a room and JJ and Kate shared a room, Spencer was with Morgan.  The genius knew this was going to be a long night with the grin that the older male was giving him as they settled into the room to get ready for bed.

 

The two agents took turns taking a quick shower to get ready for bed and as Reid came out of the shower he sighed seeing the look on Morgan's face.  "What is it, Morgan?" Reid asked as he fiddled with his stuff and folded his clothes having a feeling what Morgan was going to say to him.

 

The dark skinned agent grinned from where he was laying on his bed with his arms crossed underneath his head. "The blonde seems quite taken with you." He chuckled at the look that he got from Reid at his words and before the other man could speak he spoke again.  "Don't deny it. She kept blushing every time you rambled." Morgan grinned again as the boy genius stumbled and stammered over the words that normally would come so easy to the young doctor of the BAU.

 

It took a moment to actually get a reply out, but when he did it came out in a hiss.  "We don't have time for me to do this while on a case.  And when the case is wrapped up we'll be gone.  There is no point." He crossed his arms as he looked at the older, darker agent that was in front of him.

 

"You have to live a little, pretty boy.  There is a point." Morgan tried to argue back with his best friend and co-worker to no avail as usual.  It went on like this until the two men fell asleep not knowing that the next couple of days would bring out a reveal that would change all their lives forever.

*                                                                                                                                                     *                                                                                                                                                                      *

 

The next morning the whole BAU team and the detectives were already at the police station waiting on the detectives from Boulder City to arrive with their case.  They weren't suppose to arrive for another hour, but the team was trying to be patient hoping this new case would give them all a bunch of new leads.  The team and detectives knew some of the basic details, but the detectives from Boulder City insisted on bringing their case files to Las Vegas themselves.  This was weird, but Hotchner hadn't protested because something told him that these detectives could very well hold the information that could crack open the case.  Everyone was on edge as they worked on the case waiting for the detectives Steele and Marks to arrive inside the police station.

 

The hour was up quite quickly to the shock of the BAU team as Detective Raymond Steele and Detective Joshua Marks were led into the conference room they were using.  Both the new detectives introduced themselves in solemn tones and faces and nodded as each of the BAU team and local detectives introduced themselves as well.  The two detectives sat down at the large table in the center of the conference room with everyone else while pulling out a couple of files to hand out.  Once everyone had a file folder in their possession Detective Steele stood up and started to pace the length of the room back and forth seeming quite upset.  "This case we bring actually starts about two. two and half months ago when Rosalie and Tamryn Collins came into Boulder City from Las Vegas..." He started.

 

"I knew them both personally as they had actually moved in down the road from me and I helped them get most of their things into their house.  I found both of them delightful and I wanted to get to know Rosalie better, but there was a wall around her that I couldn't get her break away from.  I could tell that Rosalie and her daughter were running away from something and she had told me that they were from Las Vegas," He took a breath to gather his thoughts.  "She wouldn't confide in me, even though I was a cop and I swore to protect her when I convinced her to go out to dinner with me one night.  No matter how much I tried Rosalie pulled away from me more and more and in the end I failed her and Tamryn.  Rosalie was killed and Tamryn was gone.

 

There was a silence that reigned over the whole room as the BAU team and the detectives took in the information that had just been thrown at them.  The silence didn't last long as Detective Marks picked up where the older detective trailed off. "The body of Rosalie Collins was discovered when the elementary school reported that Tamryn hadn't showed for school in several days.  Concerned because her mother had never called her in sick the school called the authorities who discovered Rosalie's body and the fact that Tamryn was missing from the home.  Now-"

 

'What does all of this have to do with our kidnapping cases?" One of the more impatient detectives asked with crossed arms and a frown on their face.  This got several dark looks from the other detectives and glares from every member of the BAU that was standing there as well.

 

Steele settled the detective that had spoken up with a stern glare of his own and then spoke again, "If you would let us continue we would get to that."  There was a couple of snickers from some of the other detectives as Steele scolded the detective that would speak up before his partner was done speaking.  His partner, Detective Marks actually had a smirk of his own at the fact that someone else was getting a dressing down by his boss other than him.  "Now, in talking with some of the neighbors we found out there was a van spotted outside the house around the time of Rosalie Collins's murder that matches the description of the van from your kidnappings.  There was even a woman that said she saw a man and woman wandering around town in that area as well around the same time though she said she couldn't describe the couple."

 

He paused again to pull the rest of his thoughts together, while looking at the gathered detectives.  "What makes things more difficult is the fact when looking into the family's background we couldn't find anyone by their names.  We tried tracing their last name back into Las Vegas, but there was nothing to find just like in Boulder City."  Detective Steele sighed looking at everyone else in the room.  "She certainly did what she wanted to do and disappeared from whatever she was running from."  The way he spoke showed that he wasn't happy with that.

 

Derek and Hotch shared a look before Derek took his cell phone and file with the Collins's case with him to a more private corner of the room. "Agent Morgan is going to try and get our tech analyst to get the background on the small family.  Do you have any better pictures than this blurred one?" Hotch asked.  It was the same photo that Detective Steele had been looking at just before he called them and though it was blurry he could see it as clear as day.  He could imagine both females in the picture and so it didn't matter to him that the picture was awful, but he knew they wouldn't be able to use it to identify the girls.  They had the pictures from the crime scene of Rosalie which he tried not to think about, but there was no other pictures of a light brown haired girl with honey colored eyes.

 

"I am sorry, but at the moment, no." Detective Marks responded in place of Steele with a shake of his head.  "All pictures in their house have been destroyed."  The questioning look that Hotch gave him had Marks opening his mouth to explain.  "When we went in to process the crime scene we found all the pictures had recently been destroyed."  He went on to explain that the pictures had been burned in the small fireplace about the same time that Rosalie was murdered according to the forensic experts at the scene.

 

"So you think the Unsubs destroyed the pictures with a purpose?" Callahan asked sharing a look with JJ who was standing beside her.

 

Spencer who looked quite thoughtful since the whole conversation started finally spoke and drew attention to himself.  "If the murder victim was trying to protect her and her daughter the unsub(s) might be using it to their advantage."  With the same look still on his face he started asking questions of his own.  "You said there was witnesses?  A woman that noticed a couple that was in the area that day?"

 

Detective Steele finally turned when Spencer spoke and got a good look at the male that had been introduced as Dr. Spencer Reid.  A shocked look came across Steele's face at seeing Dr. Reid clearly for the first time and a gasp came from his throat.  "You look like her..." Steele could see that Spencer looked confused at him and so the detective knew that he would have to clarify.  "Tamryn, for some reason you look a lot like her, Doctor."  With the more understanding look now on Spencer's face and his little shock over with Detective Steele answered the questions that Reid had asked.  "Yes, there was a woman that witnessed both the van at the house and the couple that was in the area.  She is an older lady that lives nearby the Collins's place."

 

This had Hotch rejoining the conversation as he filed away in his head what the detective had said about Spencer.  "Are we able to interview this lady ourselves, Steele?" So far all the detectives and police had been helpful in this case and Hotch was hoping that is the way the record would stay.

 

"I can have one of the Boulder City Patrol bring her over here, Agent Hotchner and if your people want they can look over the crime scene as well." Steele replied.  Hotch and Steele continued to talk for awhile with Reid, Callahan, and JJ adding a comment once in awhile into the neverending theories and ideas.  Rossi remaining silent for the moment also deep in thought with his own theories and ideas.

 

While they were doing that Morgan had gone to the corner of the room and called Garcia so she could try hopefully to find the mother and daughter duo's real identities.  "Hey, Mama.  I need you to work some magic for me..."  He spoke the moment that he heard the click of the perky blonde picking up the phone on her end.

 

"Well, my Chocolate Adonis, I think I can try to work my magic for you," Garcia's voice purred back to Morgan as she readied her computers at her end.

 

Morgan quickly explained about the situation of Rosalie hiding her and her daughter under fake surnames and how the Boulder City PD ended up road blocked.  "We could very well be running out of time, Baby Girl..." Morgan groaned, "And identifying these two might just give us a decent break in the case here if they are truly connected."  He tapped his fingers against the desk that he was sitting at while he was speaking, "I got a feeling that getting their true identities is going to be life changing."

 

"Then, I will definitely get right on it." She responded in a breathless whisper. "I know how it is when you get that feeling of yours."  There was a tint of determination coloring her voice as she spoke again.  "I will find out who our two ladies are.  Just you wait and see." With that the call was ended.

*                                                                                                                                             *                                                                                                                                                                            *

 

That evening as the BAU and all the detectives were discussing the case and waiting on the woman from Boulder there was an exchange of information that was never suppose to get out.  One figure was handing another figure a couple of papers and was whispering furiously before they parted not far from the police station where the BAU was.  It wasn't long later that something came across the news and the whole police station was in complete and utter shock. The two sketches that they had been keeping to themselves was plastered across the television screen and giving away their edge.


End file.
